Big Boy!
by James Carry
Summary: Arnie always thought he was a big boy. And now he's looking back on when Gilbert hit him and seeing how it was all his fault. Written in Arnie style.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. This is a short one-shot that takes place after Gilbert hits Arnie in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Arnie believes it's his fault. Written in Arnie style of writing.**

My name is Arnie. Arnie Grape. My name is Arnie Grape, and I'm eighteen tomorrow. My brother Gilbert says I'm a big boy now that I'm eighteen. Amy and Ellen and Momma say so too. Momma and Gilbert both said so, so they must be right.

I love Gilbert. He's my big brother. I love him so, so much. Every year we go by the road and we watch cars. They were awesome cars! They shine and they were big. Gilbert always give me a piggyback and he taught me how to count. I'll tell you how to count to twenty-"One, five, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twelve, thirteen." In Endora we have a HUGE water building. You're not allowed to climb up it but I like to anyway. I did once before and everyone was watching me cos I'm a BIG BOY! I got down because Gilbert told me to and I love Gilbert. He also sang a song-"Match in da Gas Tank-booom booooooommmmmm!" HAHAHAHAHHA! We also met Becky. I like Becky. She nice and pretty. She saw me climb the gas tank again. I was brought down on A HUGE CRANE that was so big I could see the whole ocean! I then went in the police car and they played the siren. "BEEE-DOOO-BEEE-DOOO." HAHAHAHAHAHHA!

He said I was such a big boy that I could easily wash myself in the bath. He left and I knew I could do it cos I'm a big boy and big boys can wash themselves. But I forgot how to do it so I waited for Gilbert to come back and help me. But he didn't come back for a LONG time and the water got cold. He did come back just before I drowned! I couldn't go near water and I got really dirty because I like playing around. No one liked it but I couldn't have another bath!

My birthday tomorrow. Gilbert bought this HUGE cake that looked very yummy and cost a lot of money. Ellen accidentally knocked it over so Gilber bought a new one! Gilbert told me not to eat and I listened to him because he's Gilbert, my big broder, and I love him. But the cake looked so yummy, I was just going to take a small piece. But it was so yummy SO I ATE IT ALL!

I went out to find Gilbert and he saw all the cake on my mouth. He got really angry and felt bad. I didn't listen to him when I should have. He told me not to eat and I should have listened to him cos I love him. Gilbert told me to take a bath. I didn't want a bath so I refused.

Gilbert got angry and he ran after me, like a game of chasy. I ran to the bathroom and I thought Gilbert would get me it. But he hit me. I pulled his hair cos he hurt me. But I hurt him too much so he punched me in the eye. I began to bleed. It hurt. I was crying. Gilbert was angry and it was all my fault. Gilbert was angry and he looked scary. Gilbert was angry because of me!

Gilbert then pushed me onto the stool and hit me. It hurt even more. I started to cry. He hit me again. I began to bleed. You know bleeding when blood come out. I got a cut. It really hurt! Then, Gilbert got very angry at me and he HIT me! It hurt so much that I fell off the stall and landed on the floor. I was crying and I was crying.

I looked up and Gilber was gone. Gilbert was gone. I've been a bad boy. Not a big boy, a bad one. I've been naughty all along. I was naughty when I climbed the tower or when I annoyed people. It's my fault dat Gilber hit me and he ran away. Now Gilbert won't b at my birthday and it's all my fault.

From now on, I will not do naughty things. No more climbing towers or eating cakes. I will always say thankyou and always eat my vegetables. If I wanna be a big boy, I need to be a good boy! And that's what I'll do. And if I see Gilbert, I will say I'm sorry and give him a huge hug because I love Gilbert. He's my brother.


	2. Happy Eighteenth, Arnie

I wake up. Today Saturday. Yesterday was Friday, today Saturday and tomowwow is Sunday. Today is Saturday and it's my birthday. It's Saturday and I turn 18 on Saturday. 18. 18 is after 19 but before 6…I think. Let me think (1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 2, 8, 12, 15, 14, 16, 17, 18, 6, 19). Yeah, I right!  
I laugh. I like to laugh. Sometimes I laugh because something is funny, and I need to show it's funny, or I laugh for no reason becos I wanna show people I feel good. And now I feel good cos I'm 18. Now dat I'm 18 I'm a big boy. Momma and Amy even Ellen who's younger dan me say Imma a big boy. So they must be wight. Even Gilber said I was-…wait, where is Gilber?  
Oh, he's hiding. Yea, I go find him! I went to say I was a big boy and find him but den I realise dat he run away yesderday. He ran away cos I ate the cake. He ran away cos I did what he told me _not _to do. And now, Gilber is away from my birtday cos of me.  
I start to cwy. Cwying is like laughing but I only cwy cos something doesn't feel good and I need to let it out. I cwy because I feel bad. And tear come out. I don't know why dey come out but they just do. I wish they didn't.  
But I cwy because Gilber not here. And I'm sad. I began to bang my hand on my head because dere a bad things in my head and I need to get dem out. I bang harder cos they are not coming out and I cwy more.  
Den I scweam…  
I scweam cos there is something in my body twying to get out. And dat ting twying to get out is Gilber not being here when I come' a big boy and it's all my fault.

I scweam cos I'm retarded…  
I scweam cos I'm ugly…  
I scweam cos Gilber's not here…  
I scweam cos I'm a bad boy…  
I scweam cos I'm not normal…  
I scweam cos I'm a hassle…  
I scweam cos I'm alive…  
I scweam cos I'm Arnie Gwape…

Dis is da worst birtday ever…

**FDSFBSFNSF**

WOW! SO MANY PEOPLE COME! Dey come to my birtday cos they knew I was about to be a big boy. So many people come cos imma be a big boy.  
But I look awound…Gilber not here yet. Oh no! He won't come. Because of me. I feel sad. Everyone tries to talk to me but I'm sad so I can't talk to dem.  
"Arnie, do you want to play on the playground with us…" a boy said  
I always tought I had twee names-Arnold, Arnie and You. "Arnie, do You want to eat dis?" "Arnold, do You want to play wid us?" I don't know why. I don't care. All I care about is Gilber. I wish he come…I hope he come.  
I ran up to the twee because no one will see me up in da twee. I love de twee. I can hold onto it and not fall down. I can be safe. I can play hide and seek. I love hide and seek. NO ONE CAN FIND ME!  
I look out. Gilber…no….Gilber…no…Gilber…YES! GILBER IS HERE! GILBER CAME TO MY PARTY! GILBER ISN'T HIDING! HE CAME OUT!  
"Where's my brother?"  
I laugh. He can't find me? I want him to find me. But I'm scared dat if he can't find me I'll never see him again. So I jumped off the branch and landed right before my broder.  
I laughed. Not cause it was funny but because I felt good. HE COULDN'T FIND ME! "BOO!" I said and I scared him.  
I needed to say sowwy for eating da cake, doing what I was told not to do, and for pulling his hair. _Come on, Arnie, tell him your sorry!  
_I was about to say sorry but Gilber hugged me. I love hugs…especially from Gilber. They make me feel warm and safe. And happy. And I was sad. But now I'm happy. I hug him back, but it's hard because my hands are filled with happiness.  
Dis is de best birtday ever…

**BFBFBSDBS**

I had a big party and everything since I'm big boy. Momma wanted me to have special day. Dere was food and game and decowation and pwesents. Lots of new toys and clothes and tings to play with. And Gilber came back. I miss Gilber. And he brought Becky wid him. Becky pretty, and she rides bike everywhere. She brought me present. She showed me how to swim. I like Becky.  
I sit in the living room wid my new things. So many people came. Momma and Amy and Gilber and Ellen made a really nice party for me. I love them all so much.  
Amy came down stair. 12 stair there is. "Momma wants to see you, Arnie. She says she wants to see her birthday boy." She smiles. "Why don't you go on up to Momma's room?"  
I don't get it. Momma doesn't go to her room anymore. She always sleeps on de couch. I'm not sure why. She could always walk around. "Momma's upstairs?"  
Amy's smile got bigger. "Yes, Arnie, she's upstairs resting in her room. Why don't you go talk to her? See what she wants?"  
I rub my nose. I do this cos I call it a "mind wipe." Dere are lots of thoughts in my head. A lot and a lot. And I was thinking about something but now I need to tink about Momma. So I rubbed my nose and wiped my brain. "Okay, Amy. Amy, I'm gonna go see what Momma wants."  
"Good boy," she says, and goes into the kitchen.  
I laugh as I go up the old stairs, cos I feel good. It's my birthday and I'm a big boy and Momma wants to talk to me. I love Momma. She protect me and give me hug whenever I'm sad or scared. I go into Momma's room. She's lying on the bed. She's asleep.  
"Wake up, Momma," I say. She looks pretty when she's sleeping. But she doesn't hear me. "Wake up, Momma," I try again. Still she doesn't hear me. She must be sleeping real good.  
I lean forward and talk right into her ear, real loud. "MOMMA! WAKE UP!" She doesn't move at all. Wait. Maybe she's not even sleeping.  
I get it. She's playing. I laugh. She's making me feel good cos she's playing hide and seek and I feel good when I play dat. "Momma, you hiding, huh? I know dat! Momma?"  
Gilber and me play hide and seek all de time. I hide in the tree in our yard and he can never ever find me. "Where's Momma?" I say, like I've heard Gilbert say about me. "Momma?"  
Amy said Momma wanted to talk to me special. I want to know what Momma wants to say. Why isn't she opening her eyes? "Momma, stop. I don't want to play anymore." I know she'll stop now because she loves me. I'm her big boy Arnie.  
I'm scared now. Is something the matter? I start cwying cos I don't feel good. I bang my head cos bad tings are in my bwain.  
"MOMMA, STOP! STOP! MOMMA, STOP IT!" I yell. She's still just lying there on the bed. Why isn't she listening? I don't know. I'm scared. I want to leave the room.  
I run out the door and down the stairs, yelling as loud as I can. She's not waking up. I bang my head with my hand. I bang it, faster and faster. I yell and sweam and cwy. Everyting fast. I'm sad, I'm scared. Momma won't wake up. I'm sad! BANG! BANG! BANG!  
Gilber comes to me and takes my shoulders. "Arnie! What's wrong?"  
"Momma's hiding and she won't wake up!" I say. I'm starting to cry. Gilber's face gets scared. He runs back towards the stairs and I can hear him calling for Ellen and Amy. I don't want Gilber to see me crying because I'm a big boy now, but I follow Ellen and Amy up to Momma's room. I'm so weak. I hate myself. I'm so retarded. I wish I wasn't born.  
Dey're all looking at her on the bed. Dey look so sad. I want to make them happy and I start to laugh. They shush me and take me downstairs. I sit on the couch while they talk. I don't want to laugh anymore because dey're all looking like something terrible has happened, but I'm not crying either. Soon they all come over to me.  
"Arnie," Gilbert says real nice, even though his face is sad. "Help Ellen and Amy and me get all this furniture outside. Okay?"  
"Okay, Gilber," I say. "All of it outside?" I don't know why he wants it all out on the grass but I love Gilber so I have to. I have to cos I need to make it up to him.  
"Yes, Arnie. We have to bring it all out on the lawn." He picks up a little table and carries it out the door.  
"Come on, Arnie," Amy says weally quiet. "Let's help Ellen with the chair." I help Gilbert and Amy and Ellen carry everything outside, even dough my arms are hurting. I have to do it, because something is wrong and dis is the only way to fix it.  
"Go on over there, by the trees," Gilber says, and he points far from the house. But he goes back to the porch with some containers.  
"Gilber!" I call. Ellen takes my hand.  
"I'll be right back, Arnie," he calls. "Just go with your sisters."  
Dey take me away and then we turn and watch a tiny Gilber do something at the porch. Then he runs towards us and there's a light behind him. When he gets to us, the house is all on fire! It's so pretty, and bright and orange, but it's our house and I don't know why he did it.  
Gilber puts his arms around Ellen and Amy, and they don't say anything as we watch our house burn down. Then he comes to me and says all sad, "Happy eighteenth birthday, Arnie." I smile to tell him he doesn't have to be sad anymore, because I'm a big boy and it's my birthday.  
I don't know what made Gilbert do it, or where we're going to live now, but I think everything's going to be okay.

I wake up. Today Saturday. Yesterday was Friday, today Saturday and tomowwow is Sunday. Today is Saturday and it's my birthday. It's Saturday and I turn 18 on Saturday. 18. 18 is after 19 but before 6…I think.


End file.
